Too many players are failing to show their class
CHELTENHAM Town’s squad includes players who are fully capable of competing at a higher level than Coca-Cola League Two.
Unfortunately, too many members of the current team are simply not reaching the standards required to perform adequately in the Football League.
An 11th match without a victory continued the Robins’ startling nosedive towards the non-League trap door and unless a drastic improvement is shown very soon, another relegation battle appears inevitable.
It is difficult not to have a degree of sympathy for acting manager John Schofield, who has overseen the last five matches in the wake of boss Martin Allen’s suspension but remains in limbo over his future.
Schofield has gone about the task in hand professionally, thoroughly and passionately, but on occasions he has been let down by his players and Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Morecambe was another disappointing afternoon, particularly for the 122 hardy souls who made the long journey to the North West in unpleasant conditions.
And it was the weather that dominated this encounter, with Cheltenham forced to play against the strong wind in the first period.
They toiled and struggled to create anything meaningful going forward, looking tentative in possession.
While he was by no means outstanding, debutant Joss Labadie showed enough to suggest he can be an astute acquisition for the duration of his loan spell from West Bromwich Albion.
Once again Josh Low was Cheltenham’s top performer on the day, adapting well at left-back due to a calf injury that will rule Lee Ridley out of action for the next couple of weeks.
Michael Townsend was also missing, necessitating a defensive reshuffle, with Andy Gallinagh and teenager Kyle Haynes included.
Haynes has a bright future in the game, but he was one of several players guilty of almost standing aside and watching Laurence Wilson stroll through from inside his own half to score the only goal of the game in the 24th minute.
Cheltenham lacked any kind of cohesion battling against the elements and there was a sense of inevitability about the arrival of the first goal for the Shrimps.
Morecambe will rate the strike as one of the finest solo efforts scored at Christie Park for many a year, but from Cheltenham’s point of view, it was permitted by some half-hearted defending and when Haynes showed Wilson inside, the left winger was able to slot a low finish past Scott Brown.
It was not until old stagers Julian Alsop and Barry Hayles were introduced to the action in the second half that Cheltenham looked capable of hurting Morecambe.
If Allen’s departure is destined to be imminent, one of the few positive aspects of his legacy will be the invitation of Alsop back to Cheltenham after five years out of the professional game.
There is nothing about Alsop that is dynamic or delicate, but he is always destructive and the sight of him encouraging and rallying everyone around him in the second half was admirable.
Cheltenham are a largely timid team, who are predominantly honest and hardworking, but when things are going badly, players have shown a tendency to go missing this season.
Alsop and Hayles certainly made their presence felt, but the most clear-cut chance of the match for Cheltenham fell to Theo Lewis, who was slightly late to react to a low ball aimed towards the far post by Justin Richards, but Andrew Parrish made an excellent clearance under pressure from the youngster, who will feel he should have made more of the opportunity 10 minutes into the second half.
Morecambe: @B Roche ; D Artell, C Stanley, M Twiss, G Hunter, P Jevons, I Craney (N Wainwright 60), L Wilson, P Mullin (W Curtis 90), A Parrish, W Haining. Subs not used: S Davies, D Moss, D Adams, M Duffy, H McStay.
Cheltenham Town: @S Brown; K Haynes, A Gallinagh, D Diallo, J Low; D Bird, M Pook (J Alsop 57), J Labadie; B Marshall, J Richards (D Hutton 75), T Lewis (B Hayles 57). Subs not used: J Perry, E Hammond, M Watkins, J Quaynor.
Referee: @A Bratt.
Attendance: @1,567 (122 from Cheltenham).
Star Man: @Josh Low.
Comment on this story